Words From The Wise: Dr. Yoshef Ben-Jochannan

“Truth is a continuous examination, and Fact… always supersedes belief.”

– Dr. Yoshef Ben-Jochannan

When it comes to ancient African scholarship, no one has grabbed my attention like Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannan. So it’s only right that I highlight his legacy on this blog.

Dr. Yosef Alfredo Antonio Ben-Jochannan was an Egyptologist, Historian, and Writer whose work mostly focused on ancient Egyptian civilizations. Born to an Ethiopian father and Afro-Puerto Rican mother, Dr. Ben attended schools in Brazil, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Cuba and received degrees in engineering and anthropology. He received a Masters in Architectural Engineering and a Doctorate in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Havanna, Cuba, and earned another Doctorate in Moorish history at the University of Barcelona. Dr. Ben taught Egyptology at Malcolm King College, City College in New York, Columbia University, Al-Azan University and Rutgers, and Cornell University.

Penning 49 books, most notably Black Man of the Nile and African Origins of Western Religions, Dr. Ben-Jochannan led annual trips to Egypt and led an archaeological dig in the Nubia region. Although he is no longer with us, his work is in great demand by students and community groups throughout the world, especially amongst those of African descent.

I want to share two videos of Dr. Ben that I found interesting. If you’d like to discuss any of its content, feel free to comment below.